How Flat a Radius to not fret out with low action?

[tribalfusion]

Does anyone know technically how flat a guitar's radius needs to be to bend without fretting out if the action is in the 2 or 3/64ths of an inch range like Holdsworth's action on a neck with little or no relief, 25.5 scale and .009s?

Is 16" a flat enough radius or does it need to be 20" or higher? Allan himself uses a 25" inch radius and his signature model is a 20" radius though he himself doesn't bend much these days...

Thanks

 

[Code001]

You can get 1/32'' measured @ the 12th fret on guitars with 16'' radii.

 

[glpg80]

ibanez uses 16" i believe, and i have no problem with fretting out, never have on any of their models.

there have been a few times that i fretted out the B string on very large bends with my action set to 2/32"

afterwards i raised it up a small amount and it was fine. so i would say yes its possible, but its borderline. would depend on how well the frets are dressed.

 

[Code001]

ibanez uses 16" i believe, and i have no problem with fretting out, never have on any of their models.

there have been a few times that i fretted out the B string on very large bends with my action set to 2/32"

afterwards i raised it up a small amount and it was fine. so i would say yes its possible, but its borderline. would depend on how well the frets are dressed.

2/32'' (1/16'') is kinda high, IMO. That's what I have on my strat, and that has a 9.5'' radius. My ESP that has a 12'' radius can get between 1/16'' and 1/32''. For those wondering about bending, I test to make sure I can get, at minimum, a 1 step bend.

 

[glpg80]

yeah i was way, way off. i appologize.

i got out my depth mic because i know its not anywhere near strat high and this guitar sits the lowest of any i have ever owned.

the charvel is sitting strat high at a 1/16 which is acceptable for that guitar IMHO.

with a depth mic im measuring .58mm at the 12th, top fret - bottom of string - on a 16" radii, low E being a 42 guage on the prestige.

.58 is a between 1/64th and 1/32 with 1/64th being .39mm and 1/32" being .7Xmm something, i cant remember.

it has some very minimal fret buzz on the upper registers but it is small enough that it can easily be ignored.

i could go up to 1/32" even and it would be crystal clear which is more normal.

 

[merlop]

The carvin holdsworth model has a 20" radius...

 

[tribalfusion]

The carvin holdsworth model has a 20" radius...

Yes and that was included in my original post

 

[merlop]

The carvin holdsworth model has a 20" radius...

Yes and that was included in my original post

Yep, and I think you may have answered your own question in the OP...

The HF2 I owned was super smooth for bending... 16-20" is what I think you want.
Although, Anderson's are compound 11-14" I believe? and there action is very low.

 

[Random Hero]

My Suhrs, with 10-14" radius have been capable of just above 2/64" at the last fret but I like it a bit higher than that, more like 2.5/64"/1mm or so at the last on the high E and a bit higher on the low E, with only slight relief. I normally set my guitars up pretty though but I want be able to get a tone and a half bend on the high E at least.

So to answer your question, you can get very low on a 16" radius but if the fretwork is shit, or not great, the radius will mean less. If the fretwork is great, it's easily possible on a 14" radius and probably less although then you're pushing it in terms of fretting out.

 

[tribalfusion]

Thanks for the replies...does anyone here have experience with a board flatter than 17"?

 

[tribalfusion]

Bump

 

[Vrad]

10" is good enough I think. The action on my Axis SS is ridiculously low and it doesn't fret out. It's a 10" radius I believe.

 

[irondeth21]

I was gonna say 10" or 12". I get REALLY low action with my Les Paul and I played some PRS that have a low action I think they are around 10" a lot of it depends on how good the fret work is.

 

[Vrad]

I was gonna say 10" or 12". I get REALLY low action with my Les Paul and I played some PRS that have a low action I think they are around 10" a lot of it depends on how good the fret work is.

Fretwork, nut (not an issue with the floyd), neck relief. It's possible to get VERY low action.

 

[irondeth21]

I was gonna say 10" or 12". I get REALLY low action with my Les Paul and I played some PRS that have a low action I think they are around 10" a lot of it depends on how good the fret work is.

Fretwork, nut (not an issue with the floyd), neck relief. It's possible to get VERY low action.

Yeah that's pretty much it, unless your dealing with like a 7.25" or crazy like that.